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                                  IconForge
                    "The Ultimate Icon Editor for Windows"
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                           * IMPORTANT INFORMATION *

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CONTENTS
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* About IconForge
* New in this Version
* Installing IconForge
* Customer Services & Technical Support
* Purchasing/Registering IconForge
* Other Products from CursorArts Company

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About IconForge
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Create, extract or edit icons, cursors, animated icons or cursors and for other projects such as, website URL favorite icons, filmstrip animations, and other images.  FEATURES INCLUDE: Full set of painting tools; Transparent/Inverse paint; Extract icons and cursors from EXE, DLL, ICO, ANI, ICL, or CUR format files (including OS/2, XP Alpha-channel icons and cursors, XBM/XPM, WBMP and Palm Datebook icon files); Read/write most common image files (such as BMP, JPEG, GIF, PCX, TIFF, etc.); Capture icons from the screen; Clip and/or scale on import; Save in icon/cursor formats, store in Library files; Insert icons into program files (including EXE, DLL, VBX, OCX, CPL and DRV); Special Effects filters; Automatic creation of common animation effects, such as Dissolves and Fades; Import/export animated GIF, FLC/FLI and AVI files; Export animations as .BMP filmstrip panels; Icon Wrapper utility allows you to wrap programs and scripts which do not contain icon resources into an executable with your own icon; Change system icons/cursors (including animation of desktop icons); Allows you to create and distribute icon/cursor library EXE programs, complete with installation program, image preview applet, and other options. Much more...

Requires Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000 or XP (16-bit version for Windows 3.1/3.11 is also included with purchase).  $37.95 + S&H


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NEW IN VERSION 6.0
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New Effect Filters 
 - Perspective (vanish into the distance)
 - Solarize (color intensity filter)
 - Shadow (Alpha-transparent drop shadows)
New XP-style Alpha Icons and Cursors 
 - Produce semi-transparent 32-bit Alpha channel icons and
   cursors for Windows XP 
 - Paint in normal Color Channel mode
 - Fine-tune the alpha transparency mask on the Alpha
   Channel layer
 - Paint with semi-transparent colors on the Composite
   layer
 - Save, Open and Convert existing icons, cursors and
   images to Alpha-channel resolution
 - New Color Depth option under the Options menu allows
   you to instantly covert the image to or from 32-bit
   Alpha mode; 
 - XP-style icons may be added to Multi-resolution icons,
   icon and cursor Libraries, etc.
New Icon Wrapper Tool
 - For a document, script or other file which does not
   normally contain icon resources, this utility may be
   used to create a small program to hold the file and
   icon;
 - Automatically extracts the wrapped file when run;
 - Option to specify a program to edit or view the file; 
 - Option to automatically delete the extracted file.
Other Improvements
 - Executable Icon and Cursor Libraries: more efficient and
   smaller file sizes. No .DLL's need be distributed with
   the generated program; 
 - Color Sampler: added a function to display the RGB values
   of colors in each pixel as the tool passes over the image; 
 - Enhanced File Selector: preview now displays all icons in
   multi-resolution icons when browsing through files; 
 - Restore: new option allows restoration of IconForge's
   registry to its original state, should it become corrupted
   somehow; 
 - Installation: new options when installing and first running
   IconForge;
 - and more...


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INSTALLING IconForge
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Before you can begin using IconForge you must run the IconForge Setup program from Windows. In most cases you cannot simply copy the software onto your hard drive. The files on the CursorArts distribution disks are stored in a special compressed form to save space. The Setup program is the only way to insure that IconForge is properly unpacked and installed. To install IconForge, follow the steps below:

1.  Start Windows.

2.  If you received IconForge in a self-extactor (.EXE), then
    run the .exe program to extract the files (or highlight the
    "Setup.exe" installation program, and click the "Run" icon),
    and go to Step 4.

3.  If you received IconForge on diskette, place it into
    the floppy drive now. If you downloaded IconForge in .ZIP
    archived format, use a utility such as FileWrangler,
    PKUNZIP or ZipWrangler (http://www.cursorarts.com/ca_zw.html)
    to uncompress the files to a working directory on your
    hard disk.

    Activate the Start button, File Manager or Explorer.

    Select "Run..." from the "Start" menu or File Manager.

    In the "Command Line" field enter the drive and location of the
    Setup program. e.g.:
      -  If you placed the IconForge diskette into drive
         A:, type: A:\SETUP.EXE

      -  If you placed the IconForge diskette into drive
         B:, type: B:\SETUP.EXE

4.  Follow the instructions on the screen.

5.  If you decide not to continue to use IconForge, open the Windows
    Control Panel and click on the "Add/Remove Programs" icon, then
    select IconForge from the list to remove it from your system.


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CUSTOMER SERVICES & TECHNICAL SUPPORT
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CursorArts Company provides its registered software customers with free technical support. We also provide limited technical support to persons evaluating our products during the 20 days/uses trial period.

We do, however, strongly encourage people to purchase a full version of IconForge. Software development and support is very expensive and we need your help if we are to continue to provide quality programs at affordable prices. If you haven't already, please take a few moments to register. This will assure you of eligibility for technical support, product update notification, special discounts, new product announcements, etc.

However, if you are experiencing problems, please contact our technical support department so that we can solve your problem BEFORE you purchase. Purchasing can solve many problems but it does not always endow the program with features and functions that do not exist.

If you should encounter a technical problem or question not covered in the manual or on-line help, you may use one of the following avenues to obtain technical assistance:

MAIL POSTAL CORRESPONDENCE TO:
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CursorArts Company
Customer Support
P.O. Box 1379
Bend, OR 97709-1379

TELEPHONE SUPPORT:
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Technical support and product update information are available between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (Pacific Standard Time), Monday through Friday.

Please have the following information available for the support staff when you call:

*   Brand name and model of your computer system, mouse, video
    adapter and monitor.

*   Operating system (DOS & Windows) version numbers.

*   A listing of the contents of your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS
    files, along with a listing of any programs you are running in
    the background.

*   A description of the problem, how it occurred, and how to
    reproduce it.

Telephone support may be obtained by calling (541) 383-7156. You may also FAX your questions to (541) 388-7366 (24 hours).

INTERNET BASED SERVICES:
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Technical support, updates, product information and evaluation copies of all our products are available from the following on-line services:

Internet E-Mail:
    techsup@cursorarts.com

World Wide Web:
    http://www.cursorarts.com/


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PURCHASING/REGISTERING IconForge
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If you purchased a registered copy of IconForge, a registration card was included in the package. Please take a moment to complete the card and mail it to:

CursorArts Company
Customer Registration
P.O. Box 1379
Bend, Oregon 97709-1379.

This will enter you as a registered user in our records and insure that you receive technical support, major upgrade notices and information about future products.

If you received IconForge from a friend, internet site, catalog or anywhere other than from CursorArts Company or an authorized commercial software dealer or distributor, you may evaluate the program for a period of up to 20 days or uses before purchasing the product.

To purchase IconForge for immediate download, visit http://www.cursorarts.com/ca_online.html

To obtain a complete IconForge package including serial number and handbook call CursorArts Company at 1 541.383.7156. We can process your order with VISA, MasterCard/EuroCard, American Express or Discover/Novus over the phone. The purchase price of IconForge is $37.95 + $5 U.S. Mail or $10 FedEx 2 Day for shipping & handling.

For international shipments please include:

  $5 Air Mail for Canada and Mexico;
  $12 Air Mail for all other nations.
  (see IconForge's Help for other shipping options)

If you prefer, FAX your order to us at 1 541.388.7366. If you would like to mail a check or money order, make sure it's drawn against a U.S. bank in U.S. funds. Our address is:

CursorArts Company
P.O. Box 1379
Bend, Oregon 97709-1379
U.S.A.

You may also purchase the IconForge package from any one of our many dealers worldwide. For a list of dealers see the IconForge.HLP file, or visit our internet site at http://www.cursorarts.com/ca_order.html


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LICENSE, WARRANTY, COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARKS
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Your use of IconForge is governed by a License which appears before you install IconForge and in the user manual. If you purchased IconForge, a limited warranty is also included to cover the original IconForge disks. Please read these documents before using IconForge.

Copyright CursorArts Company 1997, 2002. All Rights Reserved. This software and all accompanying documentation are protected by both United States and International Copyright laws and treaties.

IconForge, ActivIcons, ActivLibrary, ImageForge, FileWrangler, ZipWrangler and CursorArts are trademarks of CursorArts Company. All other brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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OTHER GREAT PRODUCTS FROM CURSORARTS COMPANY
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Evaluation copies of most CursorArts Company products can be obtained from better vendors or downloaded from most major on-line services, as well as on the Internet (http://www.cursorarts.com/). For additional information, pricing or dealer information contact the CursorArts Sales Department at 1 541.383.7156.

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Thank you for supporting CursorArts Company Products
